Monte Vista Christian senior Samantha Baer is in the midst of a special stretch at the plate.
The Mustangs’ starting pitcher has hit four home runs over her last five games — all of them Pacific Coast Athletic League Cypress division wins — and is 9-for-12 overall with 10 RBI. She also has two doubles and a triple to go along with her four homers.
“I’m adjusting really well,” said Baer, who had seven home runs on the season heading into Thursday’s game against Alisal. “My home runs have never come on the first at-bat. I’ve got to see the ball, and I’ve got to figure out where [the pitcher] is going.”
Baer’s recent brilliance has sparked M.V.C.’s six-game winning streak against league opponents. After losing its opener against Stevenson in a wild game that featured 17 runs over the final three innings, M.V.C. has worked its way to the top of the league at the midway point of the season.
Baer’s hitting has been key — her pitching, too — but her teammates have also started to get hot. Junior outfielder Kendall McPhillips has hit a home run in three straight games, and Mariah Montalvo and Sophia Verdegaal have also left the yard during the team’s winning streak.
In other local high school softball action from March 28 to April 3:
• Azevedo heats up – St. Francis junior infielder Arianna Azevedo smashed two homers, including one of the three-run variety, in Wednesday evening’s 9-4 PCAL-Cypress loss to M.V.C.
• Watsonville drops 2 heartbreakers – The Wildcatz suffered back-to-back PCAL-Gabilan losses, falling 1-0 to San Benito in nine innings on March 29 and losing 4-2 to Notre Dame-Salinas on Tuesday.
Senior pitcher Jessica Rodriguez allowed only three hits and struck out 11 batters in the loss to San Benito. She also tallied 13 strikeouts in Tuesday’s loss.
Watsonville had only six hits against the Haybalers. Sophomore Anastacia Alba was 2-for-3 in the loss, and sophomore Maya Guerrero doubled.
Senior Juliana Wilson earned two walks against San Benito, and smashed her sixth home run of the year in the loss to ND-Salinas.
Alba and Guerrero also doubled in Tuesday’s loss.
Watsonville’s bats seemed to be coming around over the weekend, as the Wildcatz beat Fremont, 2-0, and Santa Clara, 6-0, in the Wilcox Mission City Tournament on March 30. Watsonville had 11 hits against Santa Clara, including three doubles and a triple, and Wilson hammered yet another home run against Fremont.
